RESEARCH AND COLLECTIONS TECHNICIAN,
GRADE 14

New York State Department of Civil
Service

Classification Standard

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF CLASS

Research
and Collections Technicians are technical positions, requiring specialized
education and training, which perform laboratory and fieldwork in the areas of
biology, archaeology, history or geology related to the collections in the
Research and Collections Division of the New York State Museum or to those held
by the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP). They
perform work centered on the procurement, identification, documentation, care
and management of scientific and historical specimens, objects and artifacts.
They also create and maintain collections databases and metadata bases that
expedite research, enable inventory control, and contribute to interrelated
content creation and dissemination. The majority of the positions are in the
State Museum and are in the non-competitive jurisdictional class. The
positions in OPRHP are in the competitive class and work in the Bureau of
Historic Sites, Collections Management Unit.

ILLUSTRATIVE DUTIES

Under
the general supervision of scientists and historians who serve as curators or
collections managers of specific natural science, history and archaeology
collections, Research and
Collections Technicians in the State Museum:

·Organize
uncatalogued incoming collections so that they can be logically accessioned
into the State Museum system and ensure that no information accompanying them
is lost in the process.

·Conduct a detailed,
artifact/object-level inventory of the collections to meet professional standards for
museum collections.

·Participate on field
teams procuring specimens and recording data such as field surveys and geologic
mapping; assist scientists in designing or modifying field sampling techniques.

·Review and interpret
field notes associated with incoming objects and artifacts to determine
appropriate provenance.

·With guidance from
collections managers, provide identification, classification, and catalog-level
description of all artifacts or objects using standardized classificationprotocols; assign catalog numbers
to all artifacts/objects and link those numbers to catalog descriptions; train
and supervise volunteers and interns assisting in this process.

·Enter, edit and
update object records for each artifact/object/specimen into the collections management databases,
using established database protocols to ensure that all descriptive and inventory
data are complete and accurate; verify and research information by reviewing
pertinent documentation such as ledger entries, catalogue cards, accession
records and published sources; may train others to use these systems.

·Photograph and
create digital images of selected artifacts/objects to meet professional standards for
museum collections and to be consistent with established protocols for entry of
items into the collections management database.

·Assist in cleaning
of objects in storage and reorganize
new acquisitions and objects in storage for optimum capacity; inventory old
collections; re-house items when necessary; supervise interns and volunteers
working on collections.

·Assist collections
managers or curators as needed in moving newly acquired collections objects
from the point of origin to the Museums collections facilities, and in
collecting or returning objects on in-coming or out-going loans; assist in
exhibit installation and de-installation; prepare objects from the collection
for packing for traveling for exhibitions or other loans.

·Record assets as State
property so that items can be tracked and positively identified as New York State
(NYS) assets. Register incoming objects and assign asset numbers; input the
physical description of collections or individual items; identify historical
significance and associations that establish connection between historic object
assets and a historic site property, its occupants, or its historical context;
acquire, direct, or photograph objects to accurately record their physical
appearance; and remove artifacts from OPRHPs collection.

·Evaluate
collections use (exhibit vs. storage, research & image requests by other
scholars, loans, etc.), field information requests from internal and external
clients, and provide intellectual and physical access to the collections, and
facilitate new scholarship by assisting visiting researchers and fulfilling
requests.

·Facilitate the
development and implementation of exhibits and site furnishing plans by identifying
collections pertinent to the subject and requirements for the exhibition or the
furnishing of an interior, generating lists of collections meeting criteria defined
for exhibition or furnishing plan, request and facilitate photography of
collections needed to support exhibitions and furnished settings, and prepare,
coordinate, and/or participate in the movement of collections to and from
historic sites.

·Assist in
conservation efforts by assisting in or preparing on-site and field surveys of
historic and artistic objects, cleaning and packing artifacts, and
participating in preventive preservation maintenance of collections in storage.

·Assist in the loan
of collection objects by facilitating the identification, selection and
preparation of objects for loan exhibitions; evaluating object handling, care,
and security requirements during transit, preparing specifications for
appropriate object transportation arrangements, and securing transit as
specified.

·Perform various
activities to ensure appropriate storage and the security of artifacts and
other collections objects, including driving vehicle carrying such objects.

·Perform duties
related to the oversight and protection of NYS rights of ownership and
copyright.

·Deaccession artifacts
in accordance with OPRHP policy.

INDEPENDENCE OF OPERATION

Research and Collections
Technicians independently prioritize, perform, and supervise laboratory and
field activities in accordance with established parameters. They consult with
collections managers, curators and scientists only when confronted with unusual
problems or situations. Their work is observed when learning to perform
advanced procedures or operate sophisticated and delicate equipment. They may
work closely with scientists and curators to assist them in conducting
research.

SUPERVISON EXERCISED

Although
supervision is not required for classification of Research and Collections
Technicians, they frequently supervise student interns and volunteers in the
field and in the laboratory. They assist in orienting and training other
workers or students by demonstrating and explaining the work of the laboratory
and answering questions about procedures and protocols.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Non-competitive
and competitive:

A
bachelors degree including or supplemented by 18 semester credit hours in
archaeology, anthropology, history, or in one of the natural sciences (biology,
zoology, geology) AND one year of experience assisting in scientific or
historical research in the field or in artifact/specimen care and maintenance
in a laboratory or a museum.

Date:
7/17

NOTE: Classification Standards illustrate the
nature, extent and scope of duties and responsibilities of the classes they
describe. Standards cannot and do not include all of the work that might
be appropriately performed by a class. The minimum qualifications above
are those which were required for appointment at the time the Classification
Standard was written. Please contact the Division of Staffing Services
for current information on minimum qualification requirements for appointment
or examination.